凯特•肖邦的《觉醒》在1899年一经出版就饱受争议。书中因其描写的女主角艾德娜•庞迪烈离经叛道、反叛传统女性的社会角色而被认为道德败坏。然而，赛珍珠的《群芳亭》中的女主角吴太太和艾德娜一样违反了社会准则和传统女性的社会角色，却从未被评论家指责为道德败坏。这两部作品中所描写的女主公有着相似的“觉醒”，却有着截然不同的结局。本文认为造成这种差异的原因主要有以下三个方面：艾德娜和吴太太不同的人物性格，作者的意图，以及两个故事发生的社会背景和中西文化间的差异。

Kate Chopin's novel The Awakening was controversial upon its publication in 1899. The novel was considered immoral particularly for its depiction of the protagonist, Edna Pontellier, a wealthy white lady who chafes against the social norms and established gender roles. However, the protagonist of Pearl S. Buck's Pavilion of Women, Madame Wu, a wealthy Chinese woman who disobeyed social norms and established gender roles as well, has never been criticized to be immoral. In other words, Edna's awakening is a defeat while Madame Wu's is a success. The thesis argues that Edna's and Madame Wu's different personalities, the authors' intentions, the social contexts in which the stories take place and the difference between the Western and the Chinese cultures together contribute to the different ends of Edna's and Madame Wu's awakenings.